The laws set forth by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) govern handling and disposal procedures of certain laboratory wastes that are categorized as hazardous. A waste is hazardous if it is listed by EPA or exhibit one or more characteristics of being Ignitable, Reactive, Corrosive, or Extraction Procedure Toxic.

USPSNL is considered a small quantity generator of hazardous waste, which means less than 100 kg or 22 pounds of hazardous waste is produced per month. Lets keep it that way.

Disposal of certain non-hazardous chemical wastes is permitted according to the guidelines set forth by the Cornell University Guide for Drain Disposal of Laboratory Chemicals. These disposal policies are available electronically at http://www.ehs.cornell.edu/LRS/Waste_disposal.html#DISPOSAL OF LABORATORY WASTES

Regulated Medical Waste

New York State defines Regulated Medical Waste as a waste that is capable of transmitting disease to humans. This waste is generated in the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in production and testing of biologicals. Additionally, regulated medical waste cannot contain any hazardous chemical or radioactive waste components. The biological component must first be decontaminated and then treated as chemical or radioactive waste.

Agents infectious to humans (those that require biosafety level 2 and 3 containment), including cultures and stocks from medical, pathological, or research laboratories, and their associated biologicals

Wastes from the production of biologicals (serums, vaccines, antigens, antitoxins, cell lines, and cultures), as well as materials used for cleanup of spills

Discarded live or attenuated vaccines, biological toxins

Systems used to grow and maintain infectious agents in vitro, including but not limited to nutrient agars, gels, and broths

Mammalian cell lines that may contain latent viruses and/or other opportunistic pathogens or zoomotic agents (capable of transmitting disease from animals to man)

Animal Waste

Carcasses, body parts, body fluids, blood, or bedding from animals known to be contaminated with infectious agents (e.g.,zoonotic organisms) or from animals inoculated during research.

Segregation and Packaging

Sharps: Collected in approved rigid, leakproof, punture-resistant containers that can be secured to prevent loss of contents. Each container must be prominently labeled with a universal biohazard sign or the word "Biohazard". Food containers (i.e. coffee cans) are not permissible as sharp containers.

Solid waste: Items such as cloth, gloves, plastic, and paper items that have been exposed to agents infectious or hazardous to humans or animals is to be placed in red biohazard bags

Liquid waste: Liquid waste containing infectious agents such as culture media, blood, and body fluids can chemically decontaminated and then disposed of in a sanitary sewer. Decontamination treatment is a 10-fold dilution of household bleach (9 parts liquid waste plus 1 part household bleach) for 10 to 15 minutes defore discharging to drain. Alternatively, the waste can be placed in a container and autoclaved, and then discarded in the sanitary sewer.

Animal: Small and medium-sized animal carcasses should be placed in plastic bags, or if contaminated with infectious agents, in red biohazard bags.

The term "sharp" is often used as a catch all expression for any and all sharp or pointed items such as broken glassware, scalpel, and razor blades, hypodermic syringes with needles, etc., which can cause cuts or puncture injuries. Sharp waste is subdivided into two categories

Needle and razor blade waste

Glassware (and other sharp or pointed) waste

Needle and razor blade waste

contaminated with or containing viable biological agents and trace amounts of hazardous chemical must be disposed in the proper containment box, preferablly like the picture shown on the right:

Biological contaminated sharp waste will be labeled as biohazardous waste and disposed of through the University.

Hazardous chemical contaimination will be treated like hazardous waste and disposed of through our contractor, Clean Harbors.

The waste must not be placed into regular office garbage containers or plastic bags of solid waste. Do not put laboratory glassware into the general recycling bins, its composition may differ from that of recyclable glass containers.

Corrosive Waste is an aqueous solution with pH less/equal to 2.0 or greater/equal to 12.5, or is a liquid and corrodes steel at a rate greater than 6.35 mm per year at at test temperature of 55 degree Celcius. While "acid" is low pH and "base" is high pH, not all corrosives are acids or bases.

A liquid which has a flash point of less than 140°F is an ignitable waste.

Flammable compressed gas

Oxidizers

A solid is an ignitable waste if it is capable of causing fire through friction or absorption of moisture, or can undergo spontaneous chemical change which can result in vigorous and persistent burning. A substance which is an ignitable compressed gas or oxidizer is an ignitable waste

Materials with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) or Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS) flammability hazard rating of 3 or 4

A reactive waste is a material that is normally unstable and undergoes violent chemical change without detonating, can react violently with water to form potentially explosive mixtures or can generate dangerous or possibly lethal gases. A material that is capable of detonation or explosive reaction is a reactive waste.

Picric acid (2,4,6, trinitrophenol), a potentially explosive compound. It is usually purchased containing 10-15 percent water, in which state it is relatively safe. However, if allowed to dry, it should be treated as a dangerous explosive and Environmental Health and Safety should be notified. List of shock-sensitive compounds includes, among others:

Acryl and alkyl nitrites

Alkyl perchlorates

Azides

Diazo compounds

Dry diazonium salts

peroxides

Hydroperoxides

Poly nitro alkyl/aromatic compounds.

Many common laboratory chemicals can form explosive peroxides on exposure to air over time. The compounds on this list should be dated when opened and disposed of in specified periods of time. For example, diisopropyl ether is particularly susceptible to peroxide formation and, if its use is required, it should be completely used or disposed of within three months of opening. If older stocks of isopropyl ether are discovered, Environmental Health and Safety should be notified before handling.

Chemicals that form explosive levels of peroxides on concentration

Acetal

Diacetylene

2-Hexanol

2-Phenylethanol

Acetaldehyde

Dicyclopentadiene

Methylacetylene

2-Propanol

Benzyl alcohol

Diethyl ether

3-Methyl-1-butanol

Tetrahydrofuran

2-Butanol

Diethylene glycol dimenthyl ether

Methylcyclopentane

Tetrahydronaphthalene

Cumene

(diglyme)

Methyl isobutyl ketone

Vinyl ethers

Cyclohexanol

Dioxanes

4-Methyl-2-pentanol

Other secondary alcohols

2-Cyclohexen-1-ol

Ethylene glycol dimethyl ether

2-Pentanol

Cyclohexene

(glyme)

4-Penten-1-ol

Decahydronaphthalene

4-Heptanol

1-Phenylethanol

Chemicals that may autopolymerize as a result of peroxide accumulation

Acrylic acidb

Chlorotrifluoroethylene

Vinyl acetate

Vinyladiene chloride

Acrylonitrileb

Methyl methacrylateb

Vinylacetylene

Butadienec

Styrene

Vinyl chloride

Chloroprenec

Tetrafluoroethylenec

Vinylpyridine

Chemicals that may form peroxides but cannot clearly be placed in the above tables

Perchloric acid is a very strong oxidizing agent, often used for the hot digestion of a variety of materials. Perchloric acid as used in the cold, dilute form in certain biochemical protocols is relatively safe. It can cause violent explosions if misused or when concentrated above the normal commercial strength of 72%. Anhydrous perchloric acid should never be prepared as it is unstable at room temperature and will decompose with a violent explosion. The following rules for the hot use of perchloric acid must be followed at all times:

Hot perchloric acid work may only be conducted in a rated perchloric acid hood or, under special, well-controlled circumstances, with a high efficiency scrubber.

A perchloric acid hood must be washed down after every use or once per week, whichever comes first.

Do not store or use organic materials, such as solvents, in a perchloric acid use hood.

If a vacuum is needed for perchloric acid work use a water aspirator rather than a mechanical pump. Perchloric acid contact with hydrocarbon based oils or greases in a conventional mechanical vacuum pump may result in an explosion.

All containers of perchloric acid in storage must be inspected frequently. Discolored perchloric acid is dangerous and must be disposed of at once.

Do not use or store perchloric acid on wooden lab furniture or cracker or porous benchtop materials.

When possible, use alternative techniques not requiring perchloric acid.

Do not attempt to clean up spills of concentrated perchloric acid yourself as contact with oxidizable materials can cause an immediate explosion. If you spill perchloric acid call 911 and EH&S will respond to clean up the spill.

Ether, dioxane and tetrahydrofuran are susceptible to peroxide formation. Once opened, stocks of these chemicals should be used up within six months. After six months they must be tested for peroxide formation. Test strips for determining the amount of peroxides in solvents are available from the Chemistry Department stockroom. If the amount of peroxide is over 80 parts per million, the material should be discarded. If a peroxide bearing solvent is not discarded after six months the peroxide must be destroyed using the appropriate procedures. For assistance call Environmental Health and Safety at 255-8200.

A waste which, when using the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, leaches any number of metallic, organic, or pesticide constituents in concentrations greater than specified in the regulation. Examples for these constituents include arsenic, barium, cadmium, chloroform, chromium, m-cresol, mercury, selenium and silver.

A solid waste that exhibits the characteristic of toxicity has the EPA Hazardous Waste Number specified in Table I which corresponds to the toxic contaminant causing it to be hazardous.

Hazardous waste can never be poured down the drain or placed in regular trash, unless specified by your supervisor or the safety officer. And remember that "the solution to pollution is NOT dilution". If you are not sure of how to dispose of a chemical, ask your supervisor.

Satellite Accumulation Areas

These are areas where hazardous wastes that are generated as part of the laboratory activity are collected and properly stored until they are transferred to the main accumulation area.

Each faculty member assigned a laboratory is responsible for the management of the designated Satellite Accumulation Areas for the collection of hazardous wastes generated in his/her laboratory. The following requirements apply to the operation and management of a Satellite Accumulation Area:

Signage - each area must have a sign designating it as the Satellite Accumulation Area.

Weekly Inspection - each area must be inspected weekly, the items to be inspected are listed on the inspection sheet. The Principle Investigator in charge of the laboratory is responsible for ensuring this inspection is done weekly.

Segregation and Containment - the wastes must be separated by chemical compatibility groups, each group of containers must be provided with appropriate secondary containment. Containment trays and tubs are available from OEH&S. Additional information on compatibility is provided below.

Storage - only one container per waste stream (type of waste) is allowed for each Satellite Accumulation Area, i.e.: one container for halogenated solvents, one container for non-halogenated solvents.

Labeling - all waste containers must be labeled with the words "Hazardous Waste" the chemical constituents and the hazard classification (Ignitable, Corrosive, Reactive or Toxic). Containers in Satellite Accumulation Areas shall not be dated until they are full. Waste containers may be kept in a Satellite Accumulation Area until they are full. When full the container must have that date indicated on the label and be removed from the Satellite Accumulation Area within three days.

Closure - all containers must be closed at all times except when actually adding waste. A funnel sitting in the mouth of the bottle is not the same as "closed container"

Labeling

Each container must be labeled with the words "Hazardous Waste"

Use the EH&S label pictured to the left on every bottle designated for hazardous waste storage.

Paste the bottem part of the label onto the bottle as it is being filled. Once full, paste the rest of the label on the bottle.

Containers in Satellite Accumulation Areas shall not be dated until they are full.

Example of properly completed label

Example of properly completed label

Full names of the chemical components are listed

Relative amounts are listed

Correct chemical type is checked

All the contact information is complete

Date field to be completed when it is ready to be moved out of the Satellite Accumulation Area and into the storage cabinet in the shipping/receiving room

Full Container of hazardous waste are taken from laboratories to the hazardous waste storage cabinet in room G-26

Chemical Compatibility

The following chart is provided as a guide to segregating hazardous waste containers, it is not to be used for mixing chemicals. Containers of incompatible wastes must be stored in separate containment areas.

Many hazardous wastes, when mixed with other waste or material, can produce effects which are harmful to human health and the environment, such as (1) heat or pressure, (2) fire or explosion, (3) violent reaction, (4) toxic dusts; mists, fumes, or gases, or (5) flammable fumes or gases.

Below are examples of potentially incompatible wastes, waste components, and materials, along with the harmful consequences which might result from mixing material in one group with material in another group. The list is intended only as a guide to indicate the need for special precautions when managing these potentially incompatible waste materials or components.

This list is not intended to be exhaustive. A laboratory director shall, as regulations require, adequately analyze his or her wastes so that he can prevent creating uncontrolled substances or reactions of the type listed below, whether they are listed below or not.

In the lists below, the mixing of a Group A material with a Group B material might have the potential consequences as noted.